​In the next installment of our supplemental and accessory exercise series I give some insight into my favorite posterior chain activating accessory exercises that can contribute into improvements with the hinge movement pattern.
 
Main Areas Involved In The Hinge/Deadlift
 
            The posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, external rotators etc.) is the main mover of the hinge movement pattern. Thus, it is important to implement accessory exercises into your program that target these muscles. While supplemental exercises for the hinge almost always include the movement itself, the accessory exercises do not have to. Thus, I included the straight leg deadlift (or RDL) in my favorite supplemental exercises, but none of my accessories will be performed with the same pattern or in the same plane of motion as an actual deadlift.
 
Hip Thrusts
 
            There are a couple reasons why I love hip thrusts. First and foremost they are great because they can be done with multiple types of equipment and as a result can be a staple in any program. Bands, dumbbells, barbells, medicine balls and plates can all be used to perform hip thrusts. The second reason I love them is because they allow you to get a great feel for finishing your hinge. Essentially, cuing a squeezing of the glutes at the top of a hip thrust not only provides hypertrophic benefits, but also can teach athletes and lifters to drive their hinge all the way through with their glutes instead of hyperextending at their lumber spine.
 
Glute Hamstring Raises
 
            I enjoy glute hamstring raises because they are essentially fool proof in terms of requiring posterior chain activation. Basically, in order to be able to do them you need to fully contract your hamstrings and glutes. Other accessory exercises may require a mastery of the movement in order to fully engage the posterior chain, but glute hamstring raises do not. Furthermore, glute hamstring raises also can be utilized to rid of lumbar hyperextension throughout the completion of a hinge.
 
           
 
 

​In the next phase of our accessory and supplemental exercise series I will dive into accessory exercises for each movement and what muscle groups are responsible for each of the fundamental movement patterns. In terms of your programming, you will now be learning about the next piece following our fundamental movement and the supplemental exercise you have just completed.
 
 
Main Areas Involved In The Bench Press
 
            Aside from the chest, there three areas that play a pivotal role in the bench press and your ability to target these areas effectively can help you build your bench and all pushing movements. Essentially, you should target your triceps (main muscle used during the latter 1/3 of the range of motion in a bench press), upper back (crucial for stabilizing and drive off the bench during a press) and shoulders. The following are some of my favorite exercises to build each of these areas.

• French Press
  • Here is a great exercise to build mass in your triceps and work your way towards a better bench press. As I have said before, work your accessories in hypertrophy ranges (12-15 repetitions).
• Rear Deltoid Flyes
  • Keep the weight low with these and focus on a fluid retraction of your shoulder blades in conjunction with the movement. Again, moving big weight with these exercises is not a goal or necessity.
• Cuban Press
  • I love the Cuban Press because it hits all areas of your shoulders (anterior with the raise and press, medial and posterior with the press and eccentric portion). Remain seated and be particularly strict with your form.

 
 
Always remember that our goal with accessory exercises is to build muscle mass that will directly translate into building strength with our main movement patterns. The bigger a muscle is the more potential it has to be strong!